Rival: 2026 BMW iX3 reviews are impressive... R2 has its work cut out

[Great Gatsby]

For the Macan EV comparison to iX3, PCNA is more desperate for their brand and BMW is just beginning the benefit of their launch. When we bought our 2025 Macan not that long ago, our salesperson became quite candid about the success of the Macan EV in particular, or lack thereof. Even with ordering to spec and not buying from his ICE or EV inventory, he recommended staying with the ICE version. If one reviews any of the many articles about Porsche sales reports, their situation is clear and not great. I'd be heavily subventing leases too, if I was in their position.

The reviews on Porsche's financials do miss a lot of nuance that armchair analyst fail to understand. Building a platform and a new product takes a lot of investments. To gain that investment back takes a while. Is Porsche desperate? I doubt it. Would they need to do more stateside to help shift people towards the EVs? Likely.

Your anecdote highlights a big problem IMO of EV adoption that is not talked about enough in the states: Dealerships. In my experience, they either hide their EVs, have no idea what they are talking about or steer away any potentially interested customer to the ICE equivalent. Now that the ICE Macan is being discontinued, I'm sure this will only lead to more sales as they push the panic "buy now while you can" sales tactic.

While I'm sure the iX3 will do great for a while, it also wouldn't shock me if dealerships steer people towards the X3 or X5 instead. Easier to sell something they understand and can keep making money off in service than a new product with a lot less moving parts.

We all see the headlines of companies making bad decisions then pointing at EVs as the reason for their downfall but the reality is far more nuanced than that. My 2 cents on the topic but obviously I'm no expert but one can't argue that the Macan EV is doing well abroad and seeing moderate success in the U.S.

I'd argue the issue is more the price than anything. The iX3 is much closer to the X3 pricewise so I think that would help. The Macan EV is considerably more expensive than the gas equivalent so I'd argue that is more of the issue for Porsche. The range is also so-so.

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[Sportstick]

I understand your points about the financials, but I am referring more to sales reports than overall profitability. For reasons one can debate, sales are dropping. The only reason I mention this is not any form of schadenfreude but rather to refer back to the lease comparison a few posts up. They are likely more heavily subventing a lease than anything BMW would do because of the current sales position they are in.

 

[mellowthecat]

in the states: Dealerships. In my experience, they either hide their EVs, have no idea what they are talking about or steer away any potentially interested customer to the ICE equivalent.

This has been my experience when shopping at Dealerships for EV's. Sales people have been clueless. I wanted to ask one, have you even been trained on what this car can do.

 

[Great Gatsby]

This has been my experience when shopping at Dealerships for EV's. Sales people have been clueless. I wanted to ask one, have you even been trained on what this car can do.

I dread it every time. It just feels like they are resisting or downright refusing to sell EVs. I've had an eye roll one time when approached by a sales person and I told them I was interested in an EV model.

 

[macb00kemdanno]

https://www.thedrive.com/news/2027-bmw-ix4-spy-shots

Spied: 2027 BMW iX4 Proves Four-Door Coupe SUV EVs Are Coming
BMW doesn't care what powers its SUVs, it'll spin-off a variant with a fast roofline and higher price.

 

[Sportstick]

I don't get the whole "swoopy" utility vehicle craze. It starts as a tall car with more practical use with more cargo space and outward visibility and then the roofline slopes down to deteriorate both and make it look like a turtle. If someone wants sporty, there are 2 and 4 door coupes, some with liftbacks, but why this partialliy-tall oddity?

 

[Jeremy3292]

I don't get the whole "swoopy" utility vehicle craze. It starts as a tall car with more practical use with more cargo space and outward visibility and then the roofline slopes down to deteriorate both and make it look like a turtle. If someone wants sporty, there are 2 and 4 door coupes, some with liftbacks, but why this partialliy-tall oddity?

Be careful, I got chastised for saying the same thing and calling it "squished"

 

[Sportstick]

As to the roofline, I rest my case...

 

[mellowthecat]

 

[macb00kemdanno]

I don't get the whole "swoopy" utility vehicle craze. It starts as a tall car with more practical use with more cargo space and outward visibility and then the roofline slopes down to deteriorate both and make it look like a turtle. If someone wants sporty, there are 2 and 4 door coupes, some with liftbacks, but why this partialliy-tall oddity?

I blame the AMC Eagle

 

[NY_Rob]

I don't get the whole "swoopy" utility vehicle craze. It starts as a tall car with more practical use with more cargo space and outward visibility and then the roofline slopes down to deteriorate both and make it look like a turtle.

It's just for aerodynamic drag reduction. A lower trailing edge (the rear of the vehicle) profile reduces the distance between the airflow streaming underneath the vehicle and the airflow streaming over the roof of the vehicle which reduces turbulence and decreases drag. Consider the cross-section profile of an airplane wing.

 

[Sportstick]

There's more than one culprit here...

 

[Sportstick]

It's just for aerodynamic drag reduction. A lower trailing edge (the rear of the vehicle) profile reduces turbulence and decreases drag.

Sorry, but I respectfully disagree. These were developed as adventures in the various design offices to figure out how to get UV rejectors interested in something they could sell as "sporty". Any Cd benefit was a side effect.

 

[NY_Rob]

Sorry, but I respectfully disagree. These were developed as adventures in the various design offices to figure out how to get UV rejectors interested in something they could sell as "sporty". Any Cd benefit was a side effect.

Maybe a bit of both... the lower trailing roofline reduced drag, and the manufacturers though it looked cool? For the record, I'm not a fan of that design choice.. my biggest gripe is the ridiculously large blind spot it creates.

 

[NY_Rob]

There's more than one culprit here...

One question... ^^^ Where's the beef?

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